Giving back to the Community
Derron LaBrake, a Principal at W&E was recently mentioned on Page 55 of the 2015 edition of EXCEL, Drexel University's research magazine in an article entitled _INVASION OF THE KNOTWEED. Mr. LaBrake and Ms. Kathryn Christopher, of Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, are collaborating on an experiment that is assessing the effects Fallopia japonica may be having on the aquatic life in a couple of the streams that flow through the city of Philadelphia. They deployed their experiment in Pennypack Creek and Cobbs Creek during the winter of 2014/2015 and will be setting up the second year for the experiment to run over the winter of 2015/2016. It is their hope that the data from their experiment will help inform the management of F. japonica in the greater Philadelphia region.
On June 10, 2015, Derron LaBrake, a Principal at W&E was elected as a member of the Eastwick Lower Darby Creek Area Community Advisory Group (ELDCACAG) and co-chair of the Technical Working Group (TWG). Over a period of about six months the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) assisted the community surrounding the Lower Darby Creek Area Superfund Site with the formation of a Community Advisory Group (CAG); then on June 10, 2015, the EPA formally recognized the Eastwick Lower Darby Creek Area Community Advisory Group (ELDCACAG). The purpose of the ELDCACAG is to provide EPA with the vehicle for interacting with the community that surrounds the Lower Darby Creek Area Superfund Site. The monthly CAG meetings provide a forum for EPA to disseminate information regarding the Superfund Site, in particular, with information regarding the remedial design for Operable Unit 1, the Clearview Landfill. The meetings afford the community the opportunity to ask EPA questions and provide comments to EPA regarding the work that is being done at the Superfund Site. As co-chair of the TWG, Mr. LaBrake is assisting the ELDCACAG with understanding the Superfund process, reviewing actions proposed by EPA from a technical standpoint, and translating a lot of technical information into words and concepts that the community can understand. Mr. LaBrake and his co-chair Eileen SanPedro hold monthly meetings with EPA representatives and community members and review activities and design elements that EPA is proposing for Clearview Landfill, they then report to the full ELDCACAG at their monthly meetings, held on the second Wednesday of the month in the Mercy Wellness Center on Island Ave, in Eastwick.
On December 2, 2014, Derron LaBrake, a Principal at W&E gave a talk at a Society of Woman Environmental Professionals (SWEP) sponsored event to discuss the ecological risk assessment process. Mr. LaBrake has extensive experience in the field of ecological risk assessment and has performed ecological risk assessment work in Illinois, Massachusetts, North Dakota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Virginia and Washington. He presented along with Michael Rondinelli from O'Brien & Gere. The talk was geared for non-practitioners who must manage and oversee, and in some cases sign off on the work as the licensed professional. The talk discussed the programs that New Jersey and Pennsylvania have for assessing ecological risks and the overarching method developed by USEPA. There are plans for presenting this information a second time in early 2015. Keep an eye out for an announcement on SWEP's website or you can contact us for more information about the program.
The Clean Water Network contacted Derron LaBrake, a Principal at W&E in the latter half of 2014 and requested photographs of wetlands from the area. Derron provided three photographs (one from Pennsylvania and two from New Jersey) to the Network in support of their efforts and those photographs were selected to become part of their project and can be viewed on their "America's Waterways" Story Map.
Derron LaBrake, a Principal at W&E volunteers his time at the local environmental education center (Haverford Township's Community Recreation & Environmental Center), where he takes mixed age groups on hikes to show them some beautiful and unique wetlands along Darby Creek. In the spring of 2013 he gave a short educational talk to one of Haverford Middle School's teams, describing the hydrology and importance of wetlands, while standing in one at the Haverford Reserve. And while walking the team back he pointed out a patch of wild leeks growing along the path and helped them to understand that we didn't always have grocery stores to buy food from that during the colonial time you had to be able to recognize edible wild plants to augment what you were growing in your garden. During the summer of 2013 he took a group of small summer camp children to look at some of the adaptations that wetland plants have for surviving in the saturated environment.
Typically on the first or second weekend in April he has a walk planned to take a mixed age group to experience the awakening of spring in wetlands and hopefully hear spring peepers in full chorus. The walks typically have around 40 people of all ages.
Typically on the first or second weekend in April he has a walk planned to take a mixed age group to experience the awakening of spring in wetlands and hopefully hear spring peepers in full chorus. The walks typically have around 40 people of all ages.
Derron LaBrake, a Principal at W&E has been volunteering his time since 2001 to collect macroinvertebrate samples from Darby Creek for the annual stream snap-shot in the spring and to identify and count them in the fall.
He has also been involved with the Darby Creek Valley Association since 2000. He is currently on the Board of Directors and Chairs the Technical Advisory Committee. In his capacity as Chair of the Technical Advisory Committee he has brought his knowledge of the Superfund process to the assist the Association with commenting on the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study and Preliminary Remedial Action Plan prepared by EPA for the Clearview Landfill Superfund site in Delaware and Philadelphia Counties. He has been involved with reviewing the technical aspects of many other issues that have been come to the attention of the Board. The members of the Eastwick Friends and Neighbors Coalition are looking to Mr. LaBrake to provide insights and advise as the Clearview Landfill, which is in their back yards, moves through the remedial design phase of the Superfund process.
He has also been involved with the Darby Creek Valley Association since 2000. He is currently on the Board of Directors and Chairs the Technical Advisory Committee. In his capacity as Chair of the Technical Advisory Committee he has brought his knowledge of the Superfund process to the assist the Association with commenting on the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study and Preliminary Remedial Action Plan prepared by EPA for the Clearview Landfill Superfund site in Delaware and Philadelphia Counties. He has been involved with reviewing the technical aspects of many other issues that have been come to the attention of the Board. The members of the Eastwick Friends and Neighbors Coalition are looking to Mr. LaBrake to provide insights and advise as the Clearview Landfill, which is in their back yards, moves through the remedial design phase of the Superfund process.
Philadelphia-based
William Penn
Foundation announced a three-year, $35 million initiative to bring organizations together in a comprehensive, multi-faceted effort. Playing key
roles, with the support of major new grants, are two Main Line organizations. The Lower Merion Conservancy received
a $225,000 grant to work with partners organizations including the Darby Creek Valley
Association, the Eastern Delaware County Stormwater Collaborative, Friends
Central School, Villanova University and Saint Joseph’s University to conduct
scientific monitoring and public outreach and education in the Cobbs Creek
watershed.
According to the Foundation’s announcement of the initiative, it identified eight sub-watershed “clusters,” from the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania and the Highlands in New Jersey to the Estuary in Delaware, in which it will focus resources and efforts. The work of the Conservancy and their partner organizations falls within an Upstream Suburban Philadelphia Cluster.
The Upstream Suburban Philadelphia Cluster is identified as having the most concentrated development of the eight areas, and faces some of the most significant water quality challenges. Derron LaBrake, a Principal at W&E is volunteering his time to the effort through the Darby Creek Valley Association. On March 23 and 24, 2014 Derron helped collect macroinvertebrate samples from the main stem of Cobbs Creek and three of its tributaries (East Branch Indian Creek, West Branch Indian Creek and Naylor’s Run). On March 15 and 19, 2015 Derron lead the collection of macroinvertebrate samples from Cobbs Creek and Naylor's Run.
Work under the initiative will be focused on four major areas of investment. First, it is providing $15 million to 46 conservation organizations and research institutions to support project development, community outreach, organizing and research. The Foundation is providing a $7 million grant to be administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation that will fund restoration activities. $10 million will go to the Open Space Foundation to protect land. And a $3 million grant was awarded to scientists at the Academy of Natural Sciences to coordinate modeling and monitoring.
According to the Foundation’s announcement of the initiative, it identified eight sub-watershed “clusters,” from the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania and the Highlands in New Jersey to the Estuary in Delaware, in which it will focus resources and efforts. The work of the Conservancy and their partner organizations falls within an Upstream Suburban Philadelphia Cluster.
The Upstream Suburban Philadelphia Cluster is identified as having the most concentrated development of the eight areas, and faces some of the most significant water quality challenges. Derron LaBrake, a Principal at W&E is volunteering his time to the effort through the Darby Creek Valley Association. On March 23 and 24, 2014 Derron helped collect macroinvertebrate samples from the main stem of Cobbs Creek and three of its tributaries (East Branch Indian Creek, West Branch Indian Creek and Naylor’s Run). On March 15 and 19, 2015 Derron lead the collection of macroinvertebrate samples from Cobbs Creek and Naylor's Run.
Work under the initiative will be focused on four major areas of investment. First, it is providing $15 million to 46 conservation organizations and research institutions to support project development, community outreach, organizing and research. The Foundation is providing a $7 million grant to be administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation that will fund restoration activities. $10 million will go to the Open Space Foundation to protect land. And a $3 million grant was awarded to scientists at the Academy of Natural Sciences to coordinate modeling and monitoring.
Haverford Township's Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) started a Hav-a-Rain Garden Initiative with a goal of having 100 rain gardens built in the Township over the next 10 years. Derron LaBrake, a Principal at W&E volunteered to speak at two well attended workshops held at Haverford Township's Community Recreation and Environmental Center (CREC). Mr. LaBrake explained the benefits of rain gardens and then provided information on sizing, locating, and constructing a rain garden. He spent time discussing the importance of the soils at the selected location to determine whether you will be creating a rain garden that will release water into the soils (a dry rain garden) or one that will not release water into the soils (a wetland rain garden). Both are very effective at releasing water back to the atmosphere if they are well vegetated.
In all, more than 70 people attended the workshops and afterward volunteered there time installing plants in a rain garden constructed next to some of Haverford Township's athletic fields. Mr. LaBrake, some months before investigated the soils at the selected location and provided design advice to the Rain Gardens Committee, which he joined the day it was formed. In the coming years he will be providing some technical assistance to the EAC as they select locations throughout the Township for rain gardens to be built.
In all, more than 70 people attended the workshops and afterward volunteered there time installing plants in a rain garden constructed next to some of Haverford Township's athletic fields. Mr. LaBrake, some months before investigated the soils at the selected location and provided design advice to the Rain Gardens Committee, which he joined the day it was formed. In the coming years he will be providing some technical assistance to the EAC as they select locations throughout the Township for rain gardens to be built.